American to charge fee to buy tickets at counter

DALLAS - American Airlines says it will begin charging a service fee of $5 or $10 to buy a ticket over the phone or at an airport counter, copying a similar move by Northwest Airlines.

American, the largest U.S. carrier, said it expects to reap $25 million from the fees, which take effect Tuesday.

The airline will charge $5 for customers who buy a ticket through a telephone-reservations center and $10 for customers who buy at the ticket counter. The charges will apply equally to one-way and round-trip tickets.